The advance of biotechnology and scientific research in the health field has brought significant gains to anti-tumor therapy worldwide. In addition to conventional therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, oncologists and cancer patients have increasingly effective alternatives for cancer treatment. One of these alternatives is treatment with CAR-T cells (T cells with Chimeric Antigen Receptor), a technology that is revolutionizing cancer treatment and has already been approved for leukemias and lymphomas.
This is an immunotherapy in which T lymphocytes are genetically modified to express a synthetic receptor – the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). This treatment is made possible by natural immune responses. Cytotoxic T cells (CTL or T CD8+) are responsible for detecting and destroying tumor cells. CTLs are capable of this recognition through the receptor (TCR) and destroying tumor cells presenting peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens.
How do CAR-T cells work?
T cells play a fundamental role in the body’s immune system as they are responsible for identifying and attacking invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and tumor cells. Therefore, CAR-T cells constitute a cellular therapy that involves modifying T cells from the patient’s immune system to attack tumor cells and thus eliminate the tumor.
But how is this possible? Check out the step-by-step of this therapy:
1. T cells are extracted from the patient’s blood through a process called leukapheresis.
2. The collected T cells are genetically modified in the laboratory to express the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). The CAR is a protein designed to bind to a specific antigen found on the surface of cancer cells.
3. CAR-modified cells are cultivated in the laboratory to increase the number of cells and generate a large number of modified T cells ready for treatment.
4. The next step is to infuse the modified cells back into the patient through an intravenous transfusion.
5. Modified T cells are capable of recognizing cancer cells expressing the target antigen and specifically attacking them, leading to tumor remission.
What are the benefits of CAR-T cell immunotherapy?
CAR-T cell immunotherapy is a therapeutic alternative that has achieved impressive results in clinical trials in various countries, including Brazil, since Anvisa approved the first initiative of this nature by an academic and hospital organization at Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo in 2022.
This therapy is innovating the treatment of hematological tumors such as acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Melanoma, breast cancer, and sarcoma are also diseases that can be treated with CAR-T therapy and are in the clinical trial phase. Learn about the main benefits of this immunotherapy:
– Preservation of healthy cells: It is considered a less aggressive technology for the body. The therapy aims to create a targeted and effective immune response against tumor cells while minimizing damage to healthy cells in the body, although they still exist.
– Highly personalized therapy: The treatment is autologous, meaning the patient’s own cells are modified to express CAR. In addition, the therapy is directed to bind to a specific antigen associated with the cancer type of the oncology patient.
– Long-term therapy: T lymphocytes can generate immunological memory, ensuring constant surveillance against new tumor cells, preventing the patient from relapsing.
Want to know more about this therapy?
Celluris is the first company to develop CAR-T technology for the treatment of solid tumors in Brazil and is currently the only one dedicated to this field of study, working to offer tailor-made therapies to patients. To learn more about this therapy, visit the website.
References:
- ALMEIDA, Simone Aparecida de et al. CAR-T cell immunotherapy as a new perspective for the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In: Medical Journal of Minas Gerais. Available at: https://rmmg.org/artigo/detalhes/3839. Accessed on 03/11/12023.
- ROCHA, Maria Clara de Souza; SIMI, Kelly Cristina Rodrigues. CAR-T cell therapy: an advance in immuno-oncology. UNICEUB, 2018. Available at: https://repositorio.uniceub.br/jspui/bitstream/prefix/13081/1/21554786.pdf. Accessed on 03/11/2023.
- SOARES, José Eduardo Palacio et al. CAR-T cell therapy: cellular reprogramming for the fight against malignant neoplasms In: Medical Journal of Minas Gerais. Available at: https://rmmg.org/artigo/detalhes/3927. Accessed on 03/11/2023.
